The Ugandan government, reacting to State Department objections, contends the bill no longer imposes the death penalty. The speaker of the Ugandan parliament said the bill has been revived as a “Christmas present” to the Ugandan people.

The bill would allow the government to jail gays and lesbians, including life imprisonment. The Human Rights Campaign contends it has yet to see evidence that the death penalty clause in fact has been dropped.

Here’s Perkins:

“American liberals are upset that Ugandan Pres is leading his nation in repentance–afraid of a modern example of a nation prospered by God?”

Perkins has been a leader of the opposition to same-sex marriage in the United States.

UPDATE: The Family Research Council contends Perkins’ tweet has been mis-characterized. FRC said Perkins “tweeted about Uganda’s President leading the nation in a prayer of repentance….President Museveni’s prayer was given at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Ugandan independence from Britain. President Museveni did list “sexual immorality”– as only one of 29 separate sins for which the nation should repent. Neither the event nor the prayer had anything to do with, or made any reference to, the proposed bill on homosexuality in the Ugandan parliament.”

HRC’s Fred Sainz called on evangelical leaders “to reach out to their influential friends and colleagues in Uganda to urge them to condemn the bill and work to halt consideration. American Christian faith leaders have been active in Uganda for decades and have significant ties to Ugandan political leaders and faith leaders. Such influential American faith leaders, including Rick Warren, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and voices from the Trinity Broadcasting Network, have a moral obligation to urge their Ugandan friends and allies to condemn the bill.”

According to our 2010 story: One of the most publicized examples of anti-gay missionaries was Californian Scott Lively, a Citrus Heights evangelical Christian and head of Abiding Truth Ministries. In March 2009, Lively traveled to Kampala, Uganda’s capitol, to give a series of talks in which he claimed homosexuality is evil and undermines marriage and family.

The original “anti-homosexuality” bill was withdrawn after Western donors threatened to cut off aid.

The Family Research Council said it does not support the anti-homosexuality bill “and does not support the death penalty for homosexuality – nor any other penalty which would have the effect of inhibiting compassionate pastoral, psychological, and medical care and treatment for those who experience same-sex attractions or who engage in homosexual conduct.”

FRC said, “Bloggers may try to resurrect false rumors but we will continue to applaud President Museveni’s prayer of repentance. Museveni took the very powerful step of dedicating Uganda to God when he said, “We want Uganda to be known as a nation that fears God and as a nation whose foundations are firmly rooted in righteousness and justice to fulfill what the Bible says in Psalm 33:12: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. A people you have chosen as your own.”